In order to accommodate the higher number of students who attend ConVal High School in person after the change to the non-cohort model on April 5, new procedures had to be implemented for many areas, including lunches.
Before the switchover, lunches were brought to the classrooms and eating lunch was flexible during Block 3, whenever there was a natural break in instruction. Now a new, more strictly timed lunch schedule is in place with three 30-minute lunch periods and 20 min spacing in between for cleaning. The new schedule was assigned to individual teachers based on class size, grade level, and subject.
Classes now must eat lunch during their assigned lunch period. Each Block 3 teacher works with their classes to designate half of their students to eat in the cafeteria and half to eat in their classroom. This assignment is the same for every day in a given week. New assignments can be made on the first school day of each week. Students not eating in the cafeteria remain with their Block 3 teacher for lunch.
Students who are getting school lunches pick them up in the cafeteria while observing physical distancing guidelines. Students who are eating in their classrooms return to class as soon as they have picked up their lunch. Those who remain in the caf use the mobile school cafeteria tables with seat limits — three students per round table and two per rectangular table.
Another effect of the changed lunch procedures has been the reopening of previously closed-off spaces. In the picture at the top of this post, teacher-administrator Carol Young checks on students eating lunch in the newly-reopened courtyard between the cafeteria and the ATC hallway.